This lesser known quote is at the core of our struggle to create the world we deserve. MLK's courageous challenge to systemic oppression is why he is still celebrated and beloved today.

We must tap into our personal courage to make justice become a reality. We must stand up together and wrest our country away from the moneyed elites that seek to dominate our every move. After all, we are the home of the brave and a resilient people. Fear is the true enemy. Let us take up the mantle for systemic change despite who sits in the Oval Office.

When Dr. King was alive, the country saw him much differently than we do today. A Harris poll states he had a 75% public disapproval rating in 1968. However, we know his cause was just!

If we all want to achieve the dream of Dr. King we must work together.

Today's Green Party is dedicated to social and economic justice through the ballot box. We consistently stand up for the interests of working people, the poor, the under-served, and yes, the environment.

Here are just a few examples:

We call for a publicly funded health care system, to provide comprehensive quality care for all. We demand free higher education and an end to student debt. We also answer the question of how to pay for these things – cut the military budget, tax wealth, not poverty, tax the polluters, and enact monetary reform.

We have consistently opposed all U.S. wars without compromise, including the illegal occupations, illegal sanctions, drone strikes and other acts of war in the Middle East
and Africa.

One of the hallmarks of the Green Party is its devotion to Ecological Wisdom and protecting the long- term environmental health and sustainability of the Earth. A holistic and sustainable approach to our relationship with this planet and all life that it supports must be one of reverence and respect, not one that views the Earth merely as an object to be conquered, exploited or subjugated to the will of humans.

The Green Party's political philosophy is guided by its Ten Key Values, shared by Green Parties around the world. These values are interconnected and necessary for a world in which we can all thrive.

Grassroots Democracy
Social Justice
Ecological Wisdom
Nonviolence
Decentralization
Community-Based Economics
Feminism and Gender Equity
Respect for Diversity
Personal and Global Responsibility
Future Focus and Sustainability

As we celebrate the life and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., let's also dedicate ourselves to the causes he held dear. He not only fought for civil rights and voting rights, he fought for economic and labor rights. Let's honor him by continuing his work for justice!

Illinois Green Party
www.ilgp.org